Electrical piezometer



Sept. 19, 1944. c. c. MINTER ELECTMCAL PIEZOMETER Filed April 21, 1942 10 Pressure or Density of Helium- MM Mercu y INVENTOR.

R M m C T K 7 R A m. C

Patented Sept. 19, 1 944 ELECTRICAL rmzomiraa Clarke 0. Minter, East Orange, N. 1., assignor to Breeze Corporations, Inc.-, Newark, N. .L-

Application Aprirzi, 1942, Serial! No. 439342 4 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical measuring instruments responsive to pressure of fluids, as gases, steam and other vapors.

Electrical devices for measuring pressure are well known. The'piezo-electric effect has been employed successfully in measuring large variations in pressure, but such devices are not sensimeasurements include too many large errors, due to temperature variations."

It has been found, by expe .ent, that in order to employthe basic pressure responsive device disclosed in Patent No. 2,251,751, as a device merely to measure pressure variations quantive to small changes in pressure, and the apparatus are'complicated and expensive.

' The eflect of pressure on the resistance of a.

carbon pile is also well known, but the'known' method can not be used for accurately measuring small variations in pressure. A rheostat with a pressure actuated, movable contact can be used for measuring small variations in pressure, but such apparatus is difiicult to keep in adjustment.

In many cases it has been found that mechanical measurement of pressure at a distance can not be used, owing to the'impracticability of running excessive lengths of tubing from the point at which the pressure varies to a point at v which the indication is desired.

Experience with the foregoing methods of measuring pressure electrically has shown the urgent need for an accurate, inexpensive and simple electrical-piezometer. Therefore, one of the objects of this invention is to provide such an instrument.

A further feature of the invention is to'provide an accurate apparatus for measuring pressure at a distance by means of electrical transmission of pressure variations.

The elements which are combined in the invention are all familiar to those skilled in the cart. Novelty, however, lies in a modification of the disclosure in my U. S. Patent Ila-2,251,751, in which is disclosed a Wheatstone bridge, one arm of which responds to variations in the prestitatively, it is necessary, first, that the'gas'in the sealed comparison system be the same as that in the sealed variable system, further, that the pressure of the gas in the two systems be the same; and, finally that achamber of approximately the same volumes the bellowson the variable side be attachedto the 'flxed or comparison side of the bridge. These disclosures are thought to be novel since they are not obvious to anyone skilled-in the art. v y

These objects and aims together with others, which will later appear, areaccomplished by the novel and practical construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a material part of this disclosure and in which: I 1 V Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing .an embodiment of the invention with certain parts shown in section.

Figure 2 is a graph indicating how the ther-. mal conductivity of the gas varies with pressure.

"Referring more in detail to the drawing,'a source of potential electrical energy is designated. by. the numeral Ill, one of the conductors I, from which leads to an automatic current regulator I1 of well known type, thence to branches presenting a pair of resistances l8 and sure of the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, while the other arm of the bridge responds to-variations in thethermal conductivity of the exhaust gas from the engine, producing effects described in my U. S. Patent No. 2,025,-

121, the relation between these two effects beingcorrelated by an uncalibrated, null-point, electric'al indicator connected across the -Wheatstone bridge. 1

The device disclosed in Patent No.- 2,251,751 can not be used for measuring pressure variations simply by exposing'to a gas of fixed conductivlty, the arm of a bridge which responds to variations in thermal conductivity of the exhaust gas from the engine, and placing across the bridge a calibrated indicator instead of the null-point indicator employed, for the reason that the bontinuations of the branched conductors are encased inmassive leads 2ll'and 2| set in gas tight insulators 22 and 23 andterminatingin angular bends 2i and 25 extending therefrom.

A metal block 26 is shaped to receive'the insulators 22 and 23, below which are cells 21 and 28 into which the tend.

These icells are connected at their lower Leading from the block cell 21 is a capillary tube '3! communicating withthe chamber 32 of a container 33, having an inlet 3| provided with a sealable closure 35.

. A similar capillary tube 28 leads from the block cell 28 through the wall of a receiver 31 connected with a source of variable pressure by an inlet 3..

bent terminals 24 and 25 exends by a U shaped leaden tube 29 provided with means for closing the passage therethrough, as

The tube 36 is extended to communicate with the passage 38 in an axially drilled core 40, fixed on an inner wall 01' the receiver, forming the base of a Sylphon or metallic bellows 4|, having an enlarged outer end or head 42, disposed adJacently opposite the inlet 38; a suitable spring 43, surrounding the bellows between the flanged base of the core 48 and bellows head 42, operates to maintain the bellows in a normally extended position, the inner movement of which is limited by the core 40.

The other conductor, from the electrical source I5, is provided with branches 44 and 45 set in the 4|, will be clear from consideration of the well known simple gas laws. Although the pressure in the bellows 4| will be the same as in the cell 28, the gas in the cell28 will be at a higher temperature, owing to contact with the hot filament 43. Now, when the ambient temperature increases the temperature of gas in-the cell 28, it will increase by the same degree as that of the gas in the bellows while the pressure in the system will increase with the gas laws. The ratio of the densities of the gas in the bellows 4| and cell 21 will now be different at the higher ambient nected to one of the terminals 53 of an indicator mechanism 54, while the wire I9 is similarly connected by a branch 58 to the terminal 68 of the indicator, which is supplied with a scale 51, served by a pointer 58.

In operation the entire cell, chamber, Syl-" phon bellows and tube system is thoroughly evacuated and then filled with gas, as helium or hydrogen, the former being preferred, at an absolute pressure or approximately one millimeter otmercury, through the tube 34, which is then sealed off, as at 35. e

When the pressure in the receiver 31 is set to that corresponding to the zero point of the indicator scale 81, communication between the cells 21 and 28 is then prevented by closing the passage through the lead tube 29, as at 30. I The density of the gas in the chamber 32 and cell 21 will remain constant, while the density in the cell 28 will depend upon the volume of the bellows 4|, which will vary with the-absolute pressure in the receiver 31.

Any variations of pressure in the receiver 31 will then unbalance the bridge, causing the pointer 58 to take a position on the calibrated indicator scale 51 that will be directly proportional to the pressure in the receiver.

The operation of the apparatus in determining pressure depends upon the thermal conductivity of the gas in the cell 28compared with that of the gas in the cell 21. Since the filaments are heated by the current passing through them, the temperature and resistance of the filament 43 in cell 21 will accordingly remain constant so long as the ambient temperature does not change. The density of the gas in the cell 28 does not remain constant but will vary with the volume jot the bellows 4| which in turn depends upon the pressure inv the receiver 31. Since the ther-' mal conductivity of the gas in cell "will vary with density, according to the graph (see Fig. 2),

the temperature and resistance of the filament- 48 in the cell 28 will vary with the pressure in the receiver 31.

The bridge willaccordingiy beunbalanced by temperature, and the density 01' the gas in the cell 28 will increase, thus increasing the thermal conductivity of the gas therein and introduce a temperature error in the measurement of pressure in the receiver 31.

The relation of densities inthe cell 23 and bellows 4| is shown from the gas laws to be as follows:

Density in cell 28 Density in bellows 41 Absolute temperature in bellows t1 Absolute temperature in cell 28 That is, at one temperature the ratio of the den-- cities might be, say, 0.85, while at a higher tem- "perature the ratio of the densities might be 0.9,

some 01' the gas from the .bellows 4| having gone over in the cell 28 with no movement of the bel lows. This is clear from the above relation; since the temperature in 4| is lower than the temperature in 28, anincrease in the absolute temperature of both 28 and 4| by the same amount will cause a greater increase in pressure in 4| than in 28, and some of the gas in 4| ,has

to go over into 28 to establish equilibrium; 0r, expressed another way, the increase in pressure produced by raising the temperature or a given volume of gas by a given number of degrees, is inversely'proportional to the absolute tempera- .ture of the gas.

Hence, in order to eliminate the error produced by a change in ambient temperature, it is necessary to place on the opposite side otthe bridge a volume of .gas approximately asgreat as that in the bellows 4|, and accordingly the chamber 32 is shown in communication with cell 21. The eiiect of an increase in ambient temperature on the ratio of the densities in 32 and 21 will now be substantially the same as in the'case 01 4| and 28, and there will be no temperature error in the measurement of pressures in receiver 31,

IAS changes of construction could be made with- I in the scope of the invention, it. is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanyng drawing shall be sense interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as newand desired to secure by Letters variations in resistance 0! the filament 48 in cell 28 and the pointer 58 will move over the scale 81 of the indicator, giving a quantitative indication of the variation of pressure in the receiver 31.

The necessity of having an empty chamber 32 in communication with the cell 21, of approximately the same volume as that of the bellows 16 Patent,is: V

l. Apparatus for indicating changes in pressure of-a gaseous body, comprising in combination with a ,Wheatstone bridge, of a chamber receptive of the gaseou body, a bellows in said chamber subject to changes in pressure of said body, a block having a pair of cells, one of said cells being in communication with said bellows, a sealed chamber in communication with the other of said cells and substantially corresponding in internal volume with saidbellows, said cells, chamber amrbellows being uniformly filled with /gas of the same density, a source of electricity connected across one diagonal oi the Wheatstone bridge and having leads entering said block, one or more sensitive filament connected with each lead to extend into the respective cells and constituting elements of thewheatstone bridge, an indicator, and electrical means connected across said bridge to actuate said indicator whereby changes of pressure in the gaseous body are manifested.

2. In apparel; to indicate changes in pressure of elastic fi ds subjected to variable pressure mutations, a Wheatstone bridge. a pocket subject to the fluctuations oi the'fiuids, a pressure capsule in said pocket, resilient means nor mally expanding said capsule, a sealed chamber, a pair of spaced cells, one communicating with the capsule and the other with the chamber, said capsule and chamber being substantially equal in capacity, said cells, capsule and chamber being .filled with gas of fixed density, sensitive filaments in each cell, said filaments constituting elements of the Wheatstone bridge, a'source of electric current connected to said-bridge, and an electrical indicator connected to said bridge to indicate its "unbaiancing by change in density of the gas in said capsule.

3. Apparatus for indicating changes in elastic fiuid pressure due to variations in. pressure imposed thereon, comprising in combination, a Wheatstone bridge including a source or electric current therefor, an indicator connected across said bridge, a closed receiver open to the elastic fluid, a pressure responsive metallic bellows in said receiver, a gas tight chamber, av pair oi spaced cells into each or which an element of said bridge extends, said cells, bellows and chamberbeing filled uniformly with the same variety of gas under uniform pressure, one or said cells being in open communication with said pressure responsive bellows and the other cell with said chamber.

4. A pressure ing in combination, a Wheatstone bridge, two spaced isolated cells, a chamber open to one 10! said cells, a metallic bellow responsive to the pressure to be measured open tothe other cell,

responsive apparatus compris controlled by said bridge. 

